The House on Thursday approved legislation that could set in motion changes in Puerto Rico’s 112-year relationship with the United States, including a transition to statehood or independence.

The House bill would give the 4 million residents of the island commonwealth a two-step path to expressing how they envision their political future. It passed 223 to 169 and now must be considered by the Senate.

Initially, eligible voters, including those born in Puerto Rico but residing in the United States, would vote on whether they wish to keep their current political status or opt for a different direction.

If a majority are in favor of changing the current situation, the Puerto Rican government would be authorized to conduct a second vote, and people would choose among four options: statehood, independence, the current commonwealth status or sovereignty in association with the United States. Congress would have to vote on whether Puerto Rico becomes a state.

Pedro Pierluisi (D), Puerto Rico’s nonvoting delegate to the House, said that although the island has had votes on similar issues in the past, Congress has never authorized a process in which Puerto Ricans state whether they should remain a U.S. territory or seek a nonterritorial status.

At the moment, it’s unclear if this bill has any chance at all of making it through the Senate, but that hasn’t stopped some on the right from going into panic mode over what seems to me to be a relatively inconsequential bill.

One Response to “Houses Passes Bill To Authorize Vote On Puerto Rico’s Future”

what id dont liek about this is the second round of voting. They are going too have a 4 way question? So it could become a state or become indepednent with only a little over 25 percent of the vote? As any givenr ound of voting there whould only be a 2 choice question so if it does do either a majority is needed to approve.